John Brokett of Wheathampstead Esq
b by 1460 d 1532
The first Broket Sheriff of Herts—in 1506-8 and 1530-1. Born by 1460, 2nd son and heir of Edward and Elizabeth Thwaites, John would have gone down from Yorkshire to Hertfordshire early, at least for his marriage by the early 1480s to Lucy, the only daughter of John PULTER of Hitchin, wealthy merchant and Sheriff of Bedfordshire 1453. Uncle Thomas Broket of Wheathampstead and his wife Elizabeth, nee ASSHE, having no children, John would have been seen as the dynasty’s heir.
Contents of this page:
- Introduction
- Wife and children
- Sheriff of Essex and Herts 1506-8 and 1530-1
- Other records
- Death and burial
- Will
- Inquisitions on his death
Introduction
John’s adult life was during the reigns of Henry VII and VIII.
Records of his time as Sheriff and before and after are plentiful. Only a few examples are cited below.
Wife and children
John had married Lucy PULTER by Easter 1484 at the latest—they are mentioned as man and wife in a Common Pleas suit of that date, see TNA CP40/888 below. There can be little doubt that Lucy was John PULTER’s only surviving daughter. John Pulter’s Will of 1485 mentioned his wife Alice, three sons William, John and Nicholas, and Lucy. Presumably having already given Lucy her dowry, he gave her a single bequest:
“I bequeith’ to Luce my doughter the wyfe of John’ Brocatt A standing cupp kouerid siluer and gilt pounced with a knopp’ of siluer made as of white perell'”.
Note: knop: NSOED “…a small rounded (esp. ornamental) protuberance…”’, to pounce: NSOED ‘…emboss (plate or other metalwork) by raising the surface with blows struck on the underside…”
It was followed up in the 1486 “Inuentary of all’ the goodes and Catalles of John’ Pulter’ of Hicchynne gentilman” where his bequests, which were mostly to local churches, ended with 4 to his close family: No other daughters were mentioned here either.
It’m to Luce Brokett a stondyng Cup’ with a couer’
pounced the knop’ made as it were white perle”.
It’m to yong John’ brockett her’ son’ to fynde hym to scole – iijli’ vjs viijd
It’m to in Alice Pulter’ his Wif in plate – l.li’
It’m to William Pulter’ his son’ in plate – l li’
In the 1570s Glover recorded John and Lucy’s family in his drop-line Broket pedigree.
And here is a snip from another Tudor drop-line pedigree showing the couple and their 5 children:
Transcription:
Neither drop-line Brockett pedigree in the published Hertfordshire Visitations included John and Lucy or their family, but started with their 2 sons John and Edward. However the Brockett pedigree in the Visitation of Essex of 1558 in a 1878 edition did, as follows:
19th C pedigrees, like Clutterbuck’s, reproduce much of the above information.
Children
The order of the children left to right in each of the above 3 Tudor drop-line pedigrees differed according to the designer’s need for balance on the page, but all 3 agreed that John and Lucy had 5 surviving children—2 sons and 3 daughters:
- John was centred in all the drop-line pedigrees above, and they continued downwards with his descendants only. The message was clearly that he was the heir of the dynasty, and therefore the elder of the two sons. This is supported by evidence from various primary sources that the other son, Edward, was born 1490-91, and that John must have been born by 18 Jun 1485, when his maternal grandfather John PULTER wrote in his Will: “I bequeith’ to yong John’ Brocatt ther’ sonne v marke to fynde hym to scole with”. John must indeed have been young then and “to fynde hym to scole” would have meant primary education (although in other contexts the expression could also mean to provide for higher education). The 5 marks were itemised as £3 6s 8d in the 1486 inventory of John Pulter’s goods, above. Later, John married Cambridgeshire heiress Dorothy Hughson of Swaffham Bulbeck, and moved there to raise their family. However, John died in his 40s in 1526—before his father—and his widow Dorothy remarried.
- Elizabeth. Born by 1492. In the days before parish registers dating the order of the births of daughters involves piecing together what other clues can be found. The order sons were named in their father’s Will often points to their order of birth, but the daughters were often not named, especially if they had already married and therefore received their portion. And so it is the case with the Will of Elizabeth’s father John (d 1532); his daughters were not mentioned. For reasons of their own, the 3 three 16th C compilers of drop-line pedigrees above each placed Elizabeth differently in the left-to-right order on the page. A more reliable indication of birth order might be the status of the husbands found by the family, and given the high social rank of Elizabeth’s future first husband it is possible that she was the eldest of the 3 daughters. Or perhaps at least she was second after Lucy, who by all accounts never married and had no issue. The other daughter Alice married George HYDE, a well-off country Squire. He held two manors—of Throcking and of Danyells in Sandon—and various other properties in Sandon and elsewhere, but was not on the social level of Sir Nicholas Barrington.
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We know that Elizabeth married twice:
- Nicholas BARRINGTON of Barrington Hall, Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex, b 1485/6, knighted 1513, d 22 Jul 1515. Glover mistakenly gave his surname as ‘HARINGTON’:
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Sir Nicholas bequeathed the manors of Letchworth and Weston for 17 years to his brother in law Edward Brocket, Gent, later of Letchworth Esq, and others in 1515. Their son and heir John BARRINGTON was “6 years of age and more” at his father’s death on 22 Jul 1515—see Sir Nicholas’ Essex IPM—so by that reckoning he was born by mid 1509. John was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn 1529 sponsored by Edward Brokett [of Letchworth, his uncle]; or 13 Apr 1530 according to the published register (although this was on the cusp of the regnal year 21 Hen VIII). The normal age for admission was 21, so by that reckoning John was born by 1508 or 9. These two records would date John’s birth 1508-9, and we can reasonably assume that Elizabeth would not have been younger than 16 for his birth. This means that Elizabeth was born by 1492, and quite possibly some years earlier.
In 1530 John Barrington Esq, with his 1st cousin John Broket junior [son of John and Dorothy Hughson, later Sir John I], Thomas Baryngton senior, and 2 others were recipients of a grant of a tenement with garden in Takeley, Essex. Takeley is only 3 m N of Hatfield Broad Oak.
- William BOUGHTON Esq of Caston. William was Esquire of the Body to Henry VIII and Sheriff of the counties of Warwick and Leicester in 1536, dying soon after. Deeds dated before 1542 referred to ‘Dame Elizabeth Barrington, widow of Sir William Boughton’. Susan Brocket, Elizabeth’s great niece and daughter of Sir John Brockett I, married Elizabeth and William’s grandson Edward BOUGHTON Esq of Causton, Co Warwick. “Elizabeth Ladye Ba’ington was buried the xxvjth of february” 1557/8 in Causton’s parish church in Dunchurch.
Since Nicholas was a ‘Sir’ Elizabeth became a “Lady”. He died not long after but perhaps to retain her title and property, she kept her Barrington name for the rest of her life, even though she subsequently married William Boughton Esq.
We know that this Elizabeth was sister of Edward Brockett of Letchworth Esq, because he mentioned “my Lady Barrington my sister” regarding a lease in Letchworth in his Will, and similarly “Elizabethe Barington widdowe Ladie Barington” mentioned “Edwarde Brockett my brother” regarding land in Letchworth in her Will. She made “Thomas Boughton my sone my Sole executor”.
It isn’t known if Ralph BROUGHTON—spelt with an ‘r’—who was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn 1532 to the chamber of Edward Brockett of Letchworth, was related to the Boughtons of Causton; he doesn’t appear on any of the Visitation pedigrees of the wider family.
- Edward, born 1490-1, later of Letchworth, Member of Parliament and twice Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire, see the separate page.
- Alice married George HYDE of Throcking, Herts, Esq, d 1553. We know this from two 16th C sources:
- George’s Will, written 1 Dec 1549, proved 9 Jun 1553, in which he said, “And I ordeyne and make my brother Edward Brokett Esquyre Supervisor and ouerseer”. This was Edward of Letchworth, who also held Bradfield manor, adjacent to Throcking manor.
- Glover, writing in the 1570s, recorded Alice as married to “Hyde of Throkinge”.
Add to that:
- Alice’s elder brother John and George Hyde were involved in a property deal with Edward Broket—Alice’s other brother—in 1525, presuming he was the same George, and no other likely candidate is known.
- George’s son Leonard was admitted at Lincolns Inn 14 Feb 1535 (1535/6?) sponsored (and pardoned for 5 vacations) by Edward Brokett of Letchworth Esq.
- In 1559 William Hide of Wimbish called Edward Brokett son of Edward Brokett of Letchworth ‘cousin’. He was probably the grandson of George.
- William Hyde served on County Commissions with John Brockett, later Sir John II, for instance on three 1564-5. He would either have been William of Sandon Esq, son of George, or William the grandson of George.
Does any of this help us estimate when Alice was born? Like John Barrington, sister Elizabeth’s first son, Alice and George’s son Leonard Hyde was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn 1536, which would point to a birth c 1515 and a latest birth for Alice of 1499.
Note: You can see above that the Brockett pedigree in the 1878 edition of the Visitation of Essex showed Alice as the wife of Hill, as opposed to Hyde of Throcking in the two Tudor pedigrees. This was copied by Clutterbuck, writing in the 19th C, but this can be disregarded as a copying error for Hyde or Hide somewhere along the line, made evident from George Hyde’s Will. The Essex Visitation also garbled the name of Alice’s sister-in-law Dorothy’s father “Hulse & Mamond”, discussed elsewhere.
Lucy. As with sister Elizabeth, each of the three 16th C compilers of drop-line pedigrees above placed Lucy differently in the left-to-right order on the page, but they agreed in not giving her a husband or any issue: whether in old French “sans issu”, English “died without issue” or in abbreviated Latin “ob.s.p.” (i.e. obiit sine prole). She would have had no claim to the family estates, so there is no reason to doubt this, as there is with the males of the previous generation. Clutterbuck, followed by Berry, likewise recorded her as without issue. The sole Broket entry in St Paul’s Walden Parish Registers—from their commencement in 1558 through to 1653—that “Luce Brocket daughter of Mr John Brocket was buried the 20. Julie [1560]” must have been this Lucy’s burial. A birth date of the mid to late 1480s or 90s would fit with a 1560 burial in her 60s or 70s. An identification with a father by an unmarried middle-aged woman may have been customary, especially among the gentry. Her namesake niece Lucie, when writing her Will aged in her 50s, began “I lucie broket one of the daughters of Edward Broket late of lechworthe in the countie of hartford esquire …”. Her other namesake niece, Lucy daughter of her elder brother John and his wife Dorothy, married Thomas HOO of St Paul’s Walden, and it seems that this Lucy joined her in the village.
Sheriff of Essex and Herts 1506-8 and 1530-1
Like his son Edward of Letchworth Esq and great grandson Sir John II of Brockett Hall after him, John had two terms as Sheriff. As the representative of Henry VII and VIII his court was a hub of county enactments, influence and information. It came with both benefits of enrichment and contacts but also with expense and difficult duty like assessing and collecting taxes. “The potential expense to the incumbent of becoming High Sheriff was one of the reasons the role was for a single year only.” John’s 1st term was unusual in stretching to two years. The Sheriffs’ financial returns were recorded annually at Michaelmas in the Pipe Rolls, and John was recorded as the current Sheriff in the returns for Michaelmas–Michaelmas for both 1507-8 and 1508-9, 22-24 Henry VIII.
1st term of office 1506-8
John’s first appointment (or commencement of account) began 27 Nov 1506; his predecessor was Roger DARCY Esq, and his successor Humphry TORELL or TYRELL Esq (of Heron in Essex) took over 15 Dec 1508. From Nov 1495-6 John’s eldest brother-in-law, William PULTER (of Hitchin), had been Sheriff, and from Nov 1497-8 his uncle Thomas PERYENT Esq (of Digenswell) had.
He made a proffer of 20 marks in Michaelmas 1506. Read more
Essex & Herts
The Sheriff, to wit John Broket esquire, comes by John Peryent his attorney, and delivers up from the issues of his bailiwick — 20 marks
He appears to have cleared his account, as there is no reference to him owing anything in the returns for the following two years.
2nd term of office 1530-1
John’s appointment (or commencement of account) began 11 Nov 1530; his predecessor was John BOLLYS Esq (of Wallington), and his successor John SMYTH Esq took over 9 Nov 1531.
This is the return for John for the year following his term, from Michaelmas 1532–Michaelmas 1533 in which he is declared free of debt: Read more
John Brokett esquire late sheriff for the 22nd year of Henry VII [ 1507-8] owes £80 7¼d being the remainder of £186 3s 5d, 3 cloves of garlic, for his many debts, as contained in rolls 21, 18, 15 and 10 in the Residuum of Essex. But he does not owe the sum thereof, by process therein had and recorded for the barons in the Treasurer’s Remembrancer’s Memoranda for the 1st year of this king, to wit, among the records for Michaelmas term, roll 34, by reason of a special pardon of king Henry VII made to the same late sheriff.
And is quit.
Strangely, long after his death in 1549 an old debt of £7 9s 1¾d from John’s 1530-1 account was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for the year Michaelmas 1548–Michaelmas 1549.
Read more
Oblates from roll 37 of the late king Henry VIII. Dead. John Brokett esquire late sheriff for the 22nd year of the late king Henry VIII: £7 9s 1¾d for his many debts, as contained in the preceding roll in the Item for Essex, and in rolls 31, 29 and 23 of king Henry VIII in the Residuum for Essex.
It was repeated almost verbatim for the year Michaelmas 1549–Michaelmas 1550.
Read more
Oblates from roll 37 of the late king Henry VIII. Dead. John Brokett esquire late sheriff for the 22nd year of the late king Henry VIII: £7 9s 1¾d for the remainder of £380 7s 4¾d for his many debts, as contained in the roll 37 of Henry VIII in the Item for Essex, and in rolls 31, 29 and 23 of the same king in the Residuum for Essex.
And it was still running in 1553-4.
“A Sheriff was expected to come up with some cash at the first ‘proffer’ at the Exchequer, and would be fined if he failed to attend, but otherwise a Sheriff (and an Escheator) could hang on to some or all of the money for years, even decades. And, importantly, no interest was charged on the arrears. The Broketts seem (so far as we have seen) to have been strictly correct with their finances as Sheriffs. We have seen no fine for failing to deliver at the proffer.”
“When a debt carried on year after year so as to appear desperate, it was transferred to another set of records called the Exannual Rolls. I assume that these were the records of a separate part of the Exchequer acting as a ‘bad bank’, removing dead wood from the accounting system.”
Other records
1484: At the court of Common Pleas at Westminster in the Easter term of the 1st year of the reign of Richard III, Edward Broket esquire and Elizabeth his wife, “John Broket and Lucy his wife” and Alesia Twaytes widow transferred what looks like at least their half of Steton in Yorkshire to William Fairfax, see Edward Broket of Wheathampstead re TNA CP40/888 (a separate page). The membrane is creased through the beginning of the surname but here is a snip of the image showing [without doubt] “Johe’ [Br]oket & lucia vx’e eius”: 
1491-1508: The Manor of Temple Dinsley court roll between these years mentioned John a dozen times. The first mention was when he succeeded to his father’s holding of a meadow, an orchard and a close of an acre there. The record—in his absence—gave his age as 24 years and more, i.e. born by 1467, but other records cited on this page make it likely that his age of 28 years and more given in his father’s IPM, i.e. born by 1460, was nearer his correct date of birth.
In 1494 was admitted to a messuage and 52 acres of copyhold land in Temple Dinsley on the surrender of John Judd. The messuage and 20 acres of the land were situated in Preston, near Hitchin. It may later have passed to his son Edward. John Brokett was also fined for not cleaning out his ditch as ordered by the previous court.
1497: York City deed. Owner of a tenement in York.
1503: John Brockett Esq was presented—i.e. his offence was reported to the manor court by the homage or jury of tenants—for grazing his sheep on the field of the Ippollitts vill and was fined 3d. This was probably this John, rather than his son John.
1506-8: Sheriff of Essex and Herts.
1508: In Hilary term (23 Henry VII) John Broket esquire sheriff of Essex made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against his bailiffs in the hundreds of Barstaple, Chafford, Benge and Thurstaple, Dunmowe, and Uttillesforde and Fresshewell to provide him their accounts. They did not come to defend themselves and the court ordered the sheriff in Essex (himself!) to pursue them and take them and bring them to court on 7 May 1508: Read more
Essex
John Broket esquire sheriff of county Essex appeared by his attorney for a fourth day against John Newman late of Brentwode in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time when he was his bailiff of the hundred of Barstaple and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against John Roper late of Brokestrete in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time when he was his bailiff of the hundred of Chafford and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against John Calverley late of Maldon in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time when he was his bailiff of the hundred of Benge and Thurstaple and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against John Wolman late of Stanstede Mounfychet in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time when he was his bailiff of the hundred of Dunmowe and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against William Wolsey late of Radwynter in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time when he was his bailiff of the hundred of Uttillesforde and Fresshewell and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff &c. And [the defendants] have not come; and, as many times, it had been ordered the sheriff to take them &c. And the sheriff reports that they are not found &c. Therefore, as many times, let them be taken, to be here on the quindene of Easter [7 May 1508] &c
1508: On 20 Jan (23 Henry VII) John Brokett esquire sheriff of Hertfordshire made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against his bailiffs in the hundreds of Bradwath, Odsey and Edwynstre, Hertford, and Hitchyn to provide him their accounts. They did not come to defend themselves and the court ordered the sheriff in Hertfordshire (himself again!) to pursue them and take them and bring them to court on 1 Jul 1508:
Read more
Hertfordshire
John Brokett esquire sheriff of the county aforesaid appeared by Thomas Glantham his attorney for a fourth day against Edward Gledale late of Sacomp in the county aforesaid yoman in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time that he was his bailiff of the hundred of Bradwath and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against William Braytoft late of Yeerdeley in the county aforesaid yoman in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time that he was his bailiff of Odsey and Edwynstre and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against John Hagard late of Sacomp in the county aforesaid yoman in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time that he was his bailiff of the hundred of Hertford and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff; and against Thomas Tansfeld late of Luton in county Bedford yoman in a plea that he render him his reasonable account for the time that he was his bailiff of the hundred of Hitchyn and receiver of the moneys of the said sheriff. And [the defendants] have not come; and, as many times, it had been ordered the sheriff to take them if &c. and safe &c. so that he have their bodies here on this day, namely on the octaves of Hilary &c. And the sheriff now reports that they are not found &c. Therefore it is ordered the sheriff to cause them to be exacted from county [court] to county until &c. they shall be outlawed if they do not [appear] &c. and if [they appear] &c. then he shall take them and safe &c. so that he have their bodies here on this day, namely on the octaves of Midsummer [1 July 1508]; and whereof &c.
1509: John appears as one of a huge list of people pardoned on 9 July 1509 following the coronation of Henry VIII: ‘John Brokett or Brokkette, esq., of Walyngton, Ammesho, Symondhyde, and Whethamsted, Herts, and Appulton, Yorks’.
1510: In Hilary term (1 Henry VIII) John Broket made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against John Akent of Southwelld in Essex Yoman for a debt of £8 and damages of 20 marks. This appears to have been a fictitious case, for a translation and explanation, see the separate page.
1510: Also in Hilary term (1 Henry VIII) John Broket made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against a Gentleman, an Esquire and 3 Yeomen, for debts of £8 13s 4d, 100s, 4 marks, 40s and 40s respectively, which he alleged they owed him. They did not come to defend themselves and the court ordered the sheriff in Hertfordshire to take them and bring them to court on 21 Apr 1510: Read more
Hertfordshire
John Broket esquire late sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire appeared by his attorney for a fourth day against Henry Tofte late of London gentilman, in a plea that he render him £8 13s 4d; and against Thomas Higham late of Maldon in county Essex esquire, in a plea that he render him 100s; and against John Hagard late of Sacompe in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him 4 marks; and against John Uffa late of Watton at Stone in the county aforesaid yoman and Edward Gladale late of Sacompe in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that both of them render him 40s; which they owe him and unjustly withhold &c. And [the defendants] have not come; and it has been ordered the sheriff to take them &c. And the sheriff reports that they are not found &c. Therefore, as before, let them be taken, to be here three weeks from Easter [21 April 1510] &c.
1510: Again in Hilary term (1 Henry VIII) John Broket made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against 4 Yeomen, for debts of 100s, £4, 40s and 40s respectively, which he alleged they owed him. They did not come to defend themselves and the court ordered the sheriff in Essex to take them and bring them to court on 21 Apr 1510:
Read more
Essex
John Broket esquire late sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire appeared by his attorney for a fourth day against John Newman late of Brendwode in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him 100s; and against John Calverley late of Maldon in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him £4; and against John Roper late of Southweld in the county aforesaid yoman and Henry Smyth late of Hatfeld Brodoke in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that both of them render him 40s; which they owe him and unjustly withhold &c. And [the defendants] have not come; and it has been ordered the sheriff to take them &c. And the sheriff reports that they are not found &c. Therefore, as before, let them be taken, to be here three weeks from Easter [21 April 1510] &c.
1511: Richard FYSSHER and Elizabeth his wife sold 300 acres of land, 20 acres of meadow, 200 acres of pasture and 200 acres of wood with appurtenances in Bishops Hatfield, Willian and Diggeswell to John Broket senior esquire, John Broket junior, Richard Druell, Edward Broket, Alfred FitzJames and John Maurice for £100, warranting them against John the Abbot of Westminster and his successors for ever. This may have been connected to a case brought between 1480-1500 by by Richard Battaille, cousin of Dame Elizabeth Brockett widow against Richard Fyssher Esquire.
1512: In Easter term (3 Henry VIII) John Boket, alias Broket, esquire sheriff [sic] of Hertfordshire made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against 3 Yeomen and a Husbandman, for a debt of £40, which he alleged they owed him. They did not come to defend themselves and the court ordered the sheriff in Hertfordshire to take them and bring them to court on 20 Jun 1512: Read more
Hertfordshire
John Boket esquire otherwise called John Broket esquire sheriff of Hertfordshire appeared by his attorney for a fourth day against William Bratoft late of Yerdeley in the county aforesaid yoman, John Austen late of Yerdley in the county aforesaid husbondman otherwise called John Austen of the same township and county husbondman, Thomas Byrde late of Ansty in the county aforesaid yoman otherwise called Thomas Byrde late of Ansty in the county aforesaid yoman and John Willemott late of Kelsey in the county aforesaid yoman otherwise called John Willemott late of Kelsey in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that each of them render him £40 which they owe him and injustly withhold &c. And [the defendants] have not come; and it had been ordered the sheriff to summon them &c. And, as for the aforesaid John Austen and Thomas Byrde, the sheriff reports that they have been summoned &c. Judgment: let them be attached, to be here on the quindene of Trinity [20 June 1512] &c. And as for the aforesaid William and John Willemott, the sheriff reports that they have nothing [in his bailiwick in lands or chattels whereby they might be attached]&c. Therefore let them be taken, to be here at the term aforesaid &c.
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Comment: The enrolling clerk seems to have been over-particular about aliases—John Willemott’s, for instance, wasn’t one. “Evidently the clerks normally had two records, and copied both where the descriptions differed. Often the one document was in Latin, the other in English. I presume that one was the actual writ issued to the sheriff, the other the petition of complaint.” In John Broket’s case here his name would have been written incorrectly as Boket in one of the two original records the clerk was combining for enrolment.
1512: Again in Easter term (3 Henry VIII) John Broket esquire late sheriff of Hertfordshire made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against a Widow, a Yeomen and a Labourer, and a Yeoman for debts of 100s, 40s and 60s respectively which he alleged they owed him. They did not come to defend themselves and the court ordered the sheriff in Hertfordshire to take them and bring them to court on 20 Jun 1512:
Read more
Hertfordshire
John Broket esquire late sheriff of Hertfordshire appeared by his attorney for a fourth day against Elizabeth Haddon late of Northmymmes in the county aforesaid widow, in a plea that she render him 100s; and against Edward Gledall late of Sacompte in the county aforesaid yoman and Edward Hill late of Hatfeld Bysshopp in the county aforesaid laborer, in a plea that both of them render him 40s; and against John Agard late of Sacompte in the county aforesaid yoman, in a plea that he render him 60s; which they owe him and unjustly withhold &c. And (the defendants) have not come; and it had been ordered the sheriff to summon them &c. And the sheriff reports that (the defendants) have nothing (in his bailiwick in lands or chattels whereby they might be attached) &c. Therefore let them be taken, to be here on the quindene of Trinity [20 June 1512] &c.
1522-3: In the Abbott of Westminster’s complaints of his poaching and diverting watercourses, i.e. challenging the Abbey’s authority over common rights, John was called ‘of Brocket Hall‘—the first to be so called in Hertfordshire. He probably built or at least extended it.
1524: John was a co-executor of the Will of his elder son [and then heir] John Brockett of Swaffham Bulbeck.
1525/6 Jan 13: Feoffment to uses. “Know present and future that we, John Broket senior esquire son and heir of Edward Broket, and John Draper kinsman and heir of Robert Calton vicar of St Ippolits, have given, granted and by this our present charter confirmed, to Thomas Peryent senior, George Hyde, John Bowes, esquires, Edward Broket senior, William Pulter, Thomas Peryent junior, John Heyworth, gentilmen, and Thomas Horley clerk, our manor of Thebryge with appurtenances, as well as all other manors, lands and tenements, rents, reversions and services, of ours or of any of us, in the parishes of Sandruge, Whethamsted and Harpden in county Hertford: to have and to hold the aforesaid manor with its appurtenances, as well as all the other aforesaid manors, lands and tenements, rents, reversions and services, with all their appurtenances, to the aforesaid Thomas Peryent senior, George Hyde, John Bowes, Edward Broket, William Pulter, Thomas Peryent junior, John Heyworth and Thomas Horley, their heirs and assigns, for ever, to the use of me the aforesaid John Broket and of my heirs, and for the fulfilment of the last will of me the said John Broket, from the chief lords of that fee by the services thence due and of right accustomed. And I indeed, the aforesaid John Broket, and my heirs, shall warrant and for ever defend by these presents, to the aforesaid Thomas Peryent senior, George Hyde, John Bowes, Edward Broket, William Pulter, Thomas Peryent junior, John Heyworth and Thomas Horley, their heirs and assigns, to the use aforesaid, against all peoples. In witness of which we have affixed our seals to this our present charter, given the 13th day of January in the 16th year of the reign of king Henry VIII.” On the back is an endorsement in Latin in the same hand and contemporary with the deed and two lines added later in English: “Seisin of the manors, lands and tenements within-written was delivered at the manor of Herons, by name of all the manors, lands and tenements in the townships and parishes within-contained, to the within-named Edward Broket and John Heyworth, in the presence of Humphrey Bagshawe, John Grundwyn, Thomas Feyrefylde, John Lorkyn, John Gaddesby and others.
Deed of feofment by Mr. Brockett of Thebridge al’ Waterend &c to Thos. Perient & al’ in fee &c
Ap’l 1516″
Notes: Henry VIII acceded 22 April 1509, therefore 13 January year 16 was 1525/6. The later scribe apparently mistakenly took ‘sextodecimus’ at the end of the deed to mean 1516 rather than the sixteenth year of Henry’s reign.
This charter is quoted in John’s Hertfordshire IPM (below).
Robert Calton became vicar of St Ippollitts 5 Aug 1477. Next was Richard Lacy from 2 Jun 1521.
1526 Early this year John’s eldest son John Esq of Swaffham Bulbeck died.
1527: In Trinity term (19 Henry VIII) John Broket Esq made a plea at the court of Common Pleas at Westminster against John Abbot of the monastery of St Peter of Westminster [Westminster Abbey] that the Abbot had taken 10 cows of his from a place called Robbes and 12 bullocks of his from a place called Barnardes, both in Hendon, and claimed damages of £20. This was John Brocket senior d 1532, not his son John who had died in 1526, nor his grandson John (later Sir John I) who would only have been c 15 in 1527. Hendon, although historically a parish in the county of Middlesex, is currently in the Borough of Barnet, bordering Hertfordshire to the north, and on the way from London to Wheathampstead.
The Abbot acknowledged taking the animals because John Broket held 8½ acres of land in Robbes and 9 acres in Barnardes from the Abbot as of his manor of Hendon by fealty and annual rents of 8s and 10 bushels of oat malt worth 3s from one and 6s and 10 bushels of oat malt worth 3s from the other, but John Broket was 6 years in arrears for both, amounting to a debt of 48s and 60 bushels of oat malt from one and 36s and 60 bushels of oat malt from the other. John Broket could not deny these debts so the court awarded him nothing from his claim abainst the Abbot, and indeed ordered him to be fined for his false claim: Read more
Middlesex
John abbot of the monastery of Blessed Peter of Westminster was summoned to answer John Broket esquire, in a plea wherefore he took avers of the said John Broket and unjustly kept them against wage and pledge &c. And wherein the same John, by William Forster his attorney, complains that the aforesaid abbot on the 20th day of January in the 18th year of the reign of the lord now king [1527], at Hendon, in a place called Robbes, took avers (grazing animals), to wit ten cows, of the said John Broket and unjustly kept them against wage [and] pledge until &c. And also that the aforesaid abbot on the day and year aforesaid at Hendon aforesaid in a place called Barnardes took avers, to wit twelve bullocks of the said John Broket and unjustly kept them against wage and pledge until &c.; whereby he says that he is injured and has damage to the value of £20; and therein brings his suit &c.And the aforesaid abbot comes by John Jenour his attorney, and defends the force and injury when &c. And as for the taking of the cows aforesaid, the same abbot well avows the taking of those cows in the place aforesaid called Robbes, in which &c. and justly &c. because he says that the same place contains and at the aforesaid time at which &c. and long beforehand contained in itself 8½ acres of land with appurtenances in Hendon aforesaid, whereof before the time at which &c. the aforesaid John Broket was seised in his demesne as of fee, and held the same 8½ acres of land with appurtenances from the said abbot as of his manor of Hendon with appurtenances in the county aforesaid, by fealty and a rent of 8s and 10 bushels of oat malt worth 3s, to be paid at Michaelmas yearly, and by the service of doing suit to the court of the said abbot of his manor aforesaid to be held at that manor from three weeks to three weeks; of which services the same abbot was seised by the hands of the aforesaid John as by the hands of his true tenant, to wit, of the fealty and suit of court aforesaid as of fee and right, and of the rent aforesaid in his demesne as of fee in right of his monastery aforesaid; and because 48s and 60 bushels of oat malt of the rent aforesaid for six years ending at Michaelmas aforesaid next before the aforesaid time at which &c. were in arrear unpaid to the same abbot, the same abbot, for the same 48s and 60 bushels of oat malt being so in arrear to him for the rent aforesaid, well avows the taking of the cows aforesaid in the aforesaid place called Robbes in which &c. and justly &c. upon the aforesaid John Broket as upon a true tenant of the said abbot, and within his fee &c. And as for the taking of the bullocks aforesaid, the same abbot well avows the taking of those bullocks in the place aforesaid called Barnardes in which &c. and justly &c., for he says that the same place contains and at the aforesaid time at which &c. and long beforehand contained in itself 9 acres of land with appurtenances in Hendon aforesaid, whereof before the same time at which &c. the aforesaid John Broket was seised in his demesne as of fee and held the same 9 acres of land with appurtenances from the said abbot as of his manor aforesaid by fealty and a rent of 6s and 10 bushels of oat malt worth 3s, to be paid yearly at the feast aforesaid, and by doing suit at the court of the said abbot of his manor aforesaid to be held from three weeks to three weeks at that manor, of which services the same abbot was seised by the hands of the aforesaid John Broket as by the hands of his true tenant, to wit, of the fealty and suit of court aforesaid as of fee and right, and of the rent aforesaid in his demesne as of fee in right of his monastery aforesaid; and because 36s and 60 bushels of oat malt of the rent aforesaid, for six years ending at Michaelmas aforesaid next before the aforesaid time at which &c. were in arrear and unpaid to the same abbot, the same abbot, for the same 36s and 60 bushels of oat malt for the rent aforesaid being so in arrear to him well avows the taking of the bullocks aforesaid in the place aforesaid called Barnardes in which &c. and justly &c. upon the aforesaid John Broket as upon a true tenant of the said abbot, and within his fee &c.And the aforesaid John Brokett says that he cannot deny but that he holds the aforesaid 8½ acres with appurtenances from the aforesaid abbot as of his manor aforesaid by fealty and a rent of 8s and 10 bushels of oat malt worth 3s to be paid yearly at the feast aforesaid, and by the service of doing suit at the court of the said abbot of his manor aforesaid to be held from three weeks to three weeks at that manor, nor but that the same abbot was seised of the services aforesaid by the hands of the said John Broket as by the hands of his true tenant in right of his manor aforesaid, nor but that the aforesaid 48s and 60 bushels of oat malt of the same rent for the aforesaid six whole years ending at the Michaelmas aforesaid next before the time of the taking of the avers aforesaid were at the same time in arrear to the aforesaid abbot unpaid, as the same abbot has alleged above; and further the same John Broket says that he cannot deny but that he holds the aforesaid 9 acres of land with appurtenances from the aforesaid abbot as of his manor aforesaid by fealty and a rent of 6s and 10 bushels of oat malt worth 3s to be paid yearly at the feast aforesaid, and by the service of doing suit to the court of the said abbot of his manor aforesaid to be held from three weeks to three weeks at that manor; nor but that the same abbot was seised of the services aforesaid by the hands of the said John Broket as by the hands of his true tenant in right of his monastery aforesaid; nor but that the aforesaid 36s and 60 bushels of oat malt of the rent aforesaid for the aforesaid six whole years ended at the aforesaid Michaelmas next before the aforesaid [day] of the taking of the avers aforesaid were at the same time in arrear unpaid to the aforesaid abbot, as the same abbot likewise has alleged above. Therefore it is considered that the aforesaid John Broket shall take nothing by his writ aforesaid, but shall be in mercy for his false claim; and that the aforesaid abbot may go thence sine die &c.
The Brokets were the main rivals of the Abbots of Westminster in Wheathampstead from the mid 15th C.
The Abbey were wealthy landowners, ‘the clear value of the property in 1535 amounted to the enormous sum of £3,470 0s 2¼d’.
1529: In Hilary term (20 Henry VIII) a writ of formedon in descendere re three messuages, 300 acres of arable land, 20 acres of meadow, 40 acres of pasture, 50 acres of wood and 40s rent with appurtenances in Codicote and Welwyn was sent to the deputy sheriff in Hertfordshire from the court of Common Pleas at Westminster concerning … 6 men, including John Brokett senior esquire, Thomas Perient esquire, and William Poulter: Read more
Hertfordshire
Be it remembered that the justices of the lord king here this same term delivered to Richard Barns deputy sheriff of the county aforesaid a writ close of the lord now king directed to the same sheriff to execute in form of law, the tenor of which writ follows, in these words:Henry VIII by the grace of God king of England and France, Defender of the Faith and lord of Ireland, to the sheriff of Hertfordshire, greeting. Take into our hand, by the view of lawful men of thy county, three messuages, 300 acres of [arable] land, 20 acres of meadow, 40 acres of pasture, 50 acres of wood and 40s rent with appurtenances in Codygote and Welwen which [are have been awarded (the writ is missing a line here)] to Edward Chyvall in our court before our justices at Westminster as his right by our writ of formedon in descendere against Robert Wroth esquire, Thomas Pergent [sic] esquire, John Brokett senior esquire, William Poulter, William Fysshe and Humphrey Worth, by default of the said Robert, Thomas, John, William, William and Humphrey. And thou shalt notify our justices at Westminster the date of the taking by thy letters sealed; and thou shalt summon by good summoners the aforesaid Robert, Thomas, John, William, William and Humphrey to be before the aforesaid our justices on the octaves of Trinity [30 May 1529] to answer therein, and to show why they were not before the aforesaid our justices on the octaves of Hilary [20 January 1529] as they had been summoned. And thou shalt have there the names of those by whose view you have caused this to be summoned; and thou shalt have there this writ. Witness Robert Brudenell at Westminster the 23rd day of January in the 20th year of our reign.
1530-1: Sheriff of Essex and Herts.
Death and burial
John Brokett of Wheathampstead Esq was well into his 70s when he died in 1532, and according to the Hertfordshire inquisition on his death, his wife Lucy died 6 years before him in Wheathampstead on 1 May 1524. She—and presumably John later—was buried in Wheathampstead church: “Mrs Luce Brokett in the Church 17.H.8. 1525”, i.e. 17 Henry VIII (22 Apr 1525 – 21 Apr 1526). This record was preserved in Richard Gough’s transcription of the Wheathampstead Parish Records among some earlier burial records he found in “an ancient Book of the Church-wardins Accounts”. This wasn’t the burial of their daughter Lucy, which was in 1560 in St Pauls Walden, see above.
Lucy brought properties in and around Hitchin to the marriage from her jointure and dowry and they passed to John and his heirs on her death. The Hertfordshire inquisition on John’s death mentioned “premises with their appurtenances in Graveley, Poletts, Offeleche, Hechen, Mynlesden and Ikelsford “to the use of the said John Brokett senior and of Lucy his wife and of the heirs of the said John Brokett senior in the name of the whole juncture and dowry that should belong to the aforesaid Lucy after the death of the said John her husband”, see below.
John’s Will, written 5 Sep, pr 6 Nov 1532
John’s Will was the last pre-Reformation Broket will. Daughters would all have previously been provided for; mention is made only of grandson John, son Edward and the other children of son John. With the latter, primogeniture came into play in that if any of them should die, half their portion was to go to John the eldest and half divided amongst the rest (ll 34-7): Read more
1. In the name of God amen The vth Day of Septembre the yere of
2. our Lord god a thousande fyve hundred .xxxij. I John’ Broket of Whethamsted in the Countie of
3. Hertford Esquier hole of mynde and of good remembraunce, make this my Last wille and testament
4. in maner and fourme folowing, First I wille and bequethe my soule to almighty’ god to his moder
5. saint Mary and to all the holy company of hevyne, my body to be buried in the Churche of saint
6. Elyne of Whethampsted that is to say. in the Chapell of our Lady within the said Churche at
7. the discrecione and ordering of my executours, And I bequethe to my moder Churche of Lincolne
8. xijd. Also I bequethe to the highe awter of the said Churche of Whethampsted for my tithes and
9. offeringes forgottene and necligently paid. vjs viijd Also I bequethe to the highe awter of the
10. Churche of Sandruche for the same cause iijs iiijd And in likewise I bequethe to the highe awter
11. of the Churche of saint Ipolytes iijs iiijd Also I bequethe to the Reparacions of my parishe Churche
12. of Whethampsted xls And to the common lightes of the same Churche vjs viijd And to the Torche
13. lightes of the same Churche vjs viijd. And also I will and bequethe to Johne Broket sonne of Johne
14. Broket my sonne: all my goodes and Catalles whiche I nowe haue in righte or in possessione within
15. the parishes of Whethampsted Hatfelde and Sandryche And furthermore I will declare
16. and geve to the said Johne Broket the sonne of Johne Broket my sonne all my londes tenementes
17. medowes woodes and pastures rentes reuersions and seruices with all their appurtenances scituat lying
18. and being within the parisshes of Whethampsted Hatfelde and Sandryche To haue and to holde
19. to him and to his heires foreuer Also I wille geve and bequethe to the said Johne Broket son
20. of the said Johne Broket my sonne all my Fermes and leses of londes tithes and ‘of’ other profites
21. whiche I nowe haue within the said parishes in righte or in possessione. To haue holde and occupie
22. to him his heires and assignes in as large maner and fourme as they nowe are in me, in
23. righte or in possessione Also I will to Edward Broket my sonne my ferme of Almeshobury for
24. terme of his life; paying yerely therfor twentye marces of laufull money Also I wille all the
25. stock of the said ferme there to the childerne of the said Edward evynly bitwene them to be deuided
26. according to my promyse therof to him made; in recompense wherof the said Edward promysed and
27. gave the reversion of his tenement in Hatfelde called Burnes to me and to my heires foreuer,
28. Also I wille that my executours after my dethe perceyve and take all the issues and profites of all my
29. other maners londes and tenementes not before yevene and bequethed to the said Johne Broket my
30. heire for terme of vj yeres next and Immediatly folowing after my decesse And the said issues
31. and profites to be bestowed and deuyded amonges all the Childerne of Johne Broket my sonne aswell
32. sonnes as doughteres that is to sey to euery of the said sonnes except oonly my said heire a hundred
33. pounds And to euery of the said Doughteres a hundred marces to be paid and deliuered to them by myne
34. executours or their assignes by their discrecione Also I will that if it shulde happene any of the
35. said childerne to dye before his parte or porcione of the said money be paid, Then I will that oon
36. half of the same porcione to the said Johne Broket myn heire; and the other half therof to thother
37. of the said Childerne whiche then shalbe lyving. The residue of all my goodes not bequethed after
38. my dettes paide and this my present wille pefourmed I geve and bequethe to the said Johne Broket
39. myn heire whiche Johne Broket and Johne Hyde of Londone I make and ordeyne myn executours
40. to paye my dettes and to perfourme this my last wille In witnesse of this my last will the said
41. Edward Broket Robert Barlee gentilmane Johne Heyworthe Thomas Horley parsone of saint Laurence
42. Ayot, withe diuerse other
For tithes and offerings forgotten and negligently paid he bequeathed the following sums to the high altar of:
- the church of Wheathampstead 6s 8d
- the church of Sandridge 3s 4d
- the church of Saint Ippollitts 3s 4d.
Inquisitions on his death
John held land in chief in Hertfordshire and Yorkshire, so two Inquisitions Post Mortem were held. Compare the Hertfordshire 1488 IPM of father Edward. Not mentioned in the IPM, John’s Yorkshire lands included the main Appleton manor descended down the eldest line till sold by Sir John II in 1565. Meanwhile descendants of his uncle Robert occupied it as local lords in Appleton.
In Hertfordshire:
Inquisition indentate taken at Stevenage in the aforesaid county of Hertford the 11th day of November in the 24th year of the reign of the now king Henry VIII [1532] Read more
by the grace of God king of England and France, Defender of the Faith and lord of Ireland, before John Newporte esquire escheator of the said lord king in the county aforesaid, by virtue of a writ of the same lord king of diem clausit extremum directed to the same escheator after the death of John Brokett esquire deceased, and sewn onto this inquisition, by the oath of William Knypton, John Austen, Thomas Hynd, William Iverye, John Pede, John Gyn senior, John Gyn junior, William Hide, Richard Yerdeley, John Andrew, John Bibbysworth alias Coper, Henry Curtes, John Bygge and John Siblaye of Laurens Ayot – who say upon their oath that the same John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid held no manors, lands or tenements from the lord king, nor from anyone else in demesne or in service in the county aforesaid on the day that he died. But the same jurors say upon their oath that the same John Brokett esquire and one John Brokett son and heir of the said John Brokett, long before the death of the said John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, were seised in their demesne as of fee of and in the manor of Almeshoo together with the advowson of the church of Graveley and Cheuesfyld with their appurtenances in the aforesaid county of Hertford; and that they, being so thereof seised, by their charter (shown to the jurors aforesaid on the taking of this inquisition among the evidences) the date of which is the 16th day of January in the 13th year of the reign of the said now lord king (by the names of John Brokett senior of Wettamstede in county Hertford esquire and John Brokytt son and heir of the said John senior) gave, granted and by their charter aforesaid confirmed to Richard Druell, George Hyd, William Pulter, esquires, Edward Brokett, John Brokett and Thomas Horley parson of the church of Graveley and Cheuesfyld, the manor aforesaid and other premises with appurtenances, by the names of their manor of Almeshoo and the advowson of the church of Graveley and Chenefyld, with their appurtenances in Graveley, Poletts, Offeleche, Hechen, Mynlesden and Ikelsford in the county aforesaid; and of all other their lands and tenements, meadows, feedings, pastures, woods, underwoods, ways, paths, waters, commons, heriots, escheats, rents, reversions and services with all their appurtenances in Graveley aforesaid, Poletts, Offeleche, Hechen, Mynlesden, Langley, Wylmoundesley, Stevenage, Preston, Pyrton and Ikelford in the aforesaid county of Hertford: to have and to hold the aforesaid manor with its appurtenances together with the advowson of the church of Graveley and Cheuesfyld, and all the other premises with their appurtenances to the aforesaid Richard Druell, George Hyde, William Pulter, Edward Brokett, John Brokett and Thomas Harley, their heirs and assigns, for ever, to the use of the said John Brokett senior and of Lucy his wife and of the heirs of the said John Brokett senior in the name of the whole juncture and dowry that should belong to the aforesaid Lucy after the death of the said John her husband, from the chief lords of that fee by the services thence due and of right accustomed; and the aforesaid John Brokett senior and John Brokett the son shall warrant and for ever defend by their charter aforesaid the manor aforesaid with its appurtenances together with the advowson of the church of Graveley and Cheuesfyld and the other premises with all their appurtenances to the aforesaid Richard, George, William, Edward, John and Thomas Horley, their heirs and assigns, against all people, as in that charter more fully appears. By reason of which the aforesaid Richard Druell, George Hyde, William Pulter esquire, Edward Brokett, John Brokett and Thomas Horley straightway after the aforesaid charter in form aforesaid had been made by the aforesaid John Brokett senior and John Brokett junior his son to the aforesaid Richard Druell, George Hyde, William Pulter, Edward Brokett, John Brokett and Thomas Horley in form aforesaid, the same Richard Druell, George Hyd, William Pulter, Edward Brokett, John Brokett and Thomas Horley on the abovesaid 26th day of January in the aforesaid 13th year of the said lord now king, entered into the manor aforesaid and the other premises with appurtenances, and were seised thereof, to wit, of the said manor of Almshoo with its appurtenances in their demesne as of fee, and of the advowson of the church aforesaid as of fee and right, to the uses and behoof aforesaid. And, they being so seised thereof, afterwards the aforesaid Richard Druell died seised in such estate thereof. And the aforesaid George Hyde, William Pulter, Edward Brokett, John Brokett and Thomas Horley survived them and held to themselves in the manor aforesaid and other premises with appurtenances and were seised thereof, to wit, of the said manor and other premises with appurtenances in their demesne of fee and of the advowson of the church aforesaid as of fee and right, to the uses and behoof above recited. And they being so thereof seised, afterwards Lucy late wife of the aforesaid John Brokett senior named in the writ aforesaid, to wit on the 1st day of May in the 16th year of the reign of the said lord now king Henry VIII [1524], died at Whethamsted in the aforesaid county of Hertford. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that the said John Broket esquire named in the writ aforesaid, long before his death was seised in his demesne as of fee together with John Draper kinsman and heir of Robert Calton vicar of St Ippollitts of and in the manors of Thebryge and Herons with their appurtenances in the aforesaid county of Hertford; and they, being so thereof seised, by the names of John Brokett senior esquire son and heir of Edward Brokett, and John Draper kinsman and heir of Robert Calton vicar of St Ippollitts, by their charter (shown to the jurors aforesaid upon the taking of this inquisition among the evidences [see the Charter above]) the date of which is the 13th day of January in the 16th year of the reign of the now king Henry VIII [1525/6], gave, granted and by their charter aforesaid confirmed to Thomas Peryent senior, George Hyde, John Bowes, esquires, Edward Brokett senior, William Pulter, Thomas Puryent junior, John Heyworthe gentylmen and Thomas Horley clerk, the manors aforesaid with appurtenances, by the name of their manor of Thebrygge with appurtenances, and all other manors, lands and tenements, rents, reversions and services of them or of either of them in the parishes of Sandrugge, Whethamsted and Harpden in the aforesaid county of Hertford: to have and to hold the aforesaid manor with its appurtenances, and well as all other things aforesaid, manors, lands and tenements, rents, reversions and services with all their appurtenances, to the aforesaid Thomas Peryent senior, George Hyde, John Bowez, Edward Brokett, William Pulter, Thomas Peryent junior, John Heyworthe and Thomas Horley their heirs and assigns, for ever, to the use of the aforesaid John Brokett esquire named in the writ aforesaid and of his heirs, to fulfil the last will of the said John Brokett, from the chief lords of that fee by the services thence due and of right accustomed. And the same John Brokett and his heirs shall warrant and for ever defend the aforesaid manors, lands and tenements and the other premises with all their appurtenances to the aforesaid Thomas Puryent senior, George Hyde, John Bowes, Edward Brokett, William Pulter, Thomas Poryent junior, John Heyworthe and Thomas Horley their heirs and assigns to the use aforesaid against all peoples by their charter aforesaid, as in that charter more fully appears: by reason of which the same Thomas Peryent, George Hyde, John Bowez, Edward Brokett, William Pulter, Thomas Peryent junior, John Heyworthe and Thomas Horley afterwards entered into the manor aforesaid and the other premises with appurtenances, and thereof were and still are seised in their demesne as of fee, to the uses and behoof aforesaid specified in the said charter. And, moreover, they jurors aforesaid say that long before the death of the aforesaid John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, the same John Brokett was seised in his demesne as of fee of and in the manor or tenement called Waterships with its appurtenances in Hatfeld Episcopi in the county aforesaid; and that he, being so thereof seised, by his charter (shown to the jurors aforesaid on the taking of this inquisition among the evidences) gave and granted the manor or tenement aforesaid with appurtenances to a certain Richard Fyssher gent’ and Elizabeth his wife for the term of the life of the same Richard and Elizabeth and the longer liver of them, from the chief lords of that fee by the services thence due and of right accustomed. By reason of which charter the same Richard Fyssher and Elizabeth entered into the manor or tenement aforesaid with appurtenances and were thereof seised in their demesne as of fee as of free tenement: and they being so thereof seised afterwards, the aforesaid Richard Fyssher died seised of such estate thereof on the 1st day of January in the 15th year of the reign of the said lord now king [1524]; and the aforesaid Elizabeth survived him and held thereof to her in the manor or tenement aforesaid with appurtenances and was and is still thereof seised in her demesne as of free tenement. And, likewise, the jurors aforesaid say, that long before the death of the aforesaid John Brokett named in the aforesaid writ, one Edward Brokett esquire was seised in his demesne as of fee of and in the manor of Symondyshyde with its appurtenances in the aforesaid county of Hertford. And he being so thereof seised, afterwards, to wit, in Easter term in the 17th year of the reign of the said lord Henry VIII now king [1525] one John Heyworth and Edmund Emarey, before Robert Brunell knight and his fellows then justices of the said lord now king of his Common Bench, recovered the manor or tenement aforesaid with appurtenances from the aforesaid Edward Brokett then holder of the manor or tenement of Symondyseyde aforesaid with appurtenances. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that the said recovery of the manor or tenement aforesaid with appurtenances was made and had to the uses and behoof of the aforesaid John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, and of his heirs; and that the same John Hayworthe and Edmund Emarey after the aforesaid recovery had been made and had in form aforesaid, entered into the manor or tenement aforesaid with appurtenances, and were seised thereof in their demesne as of fee to the use of the said John Brokett and of his heirs, for ever. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that long before the death of the aforesaid John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, the aforesaid Edward Brokett esquire was seised in his demesne as of fee of and in a messuage and certain lands and tenements with their appurtenances in Wyllyon and Wylmondley in the county aforesaid; and being so seised thereof, afterwards, to wit, in Michaelmas term in the 18th year of the reign of the said lord now king [1525], one John Bowes, Thomas Puryent, William Pulter and John Hayworth, by a writ of the said now lord king, of entry upon disseisin in le post, recovered from the aforesaid Edward Brokett the messuage aforesaid and certain premises with appurtenances in Wyllion and Wylmondley aforesaid with appurtenances, and by reason thereof entered into those messuage and certain premises with appurtenances and were thereof seised in their demesne as of fee. And, further, the jurors aforesaid say that the recovery aforesaid of the same messuage and certain premises with appurtenances in Willion and Wilmondley aforesaid was had to the use of the aforesaid John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, and of his heirs, and for the last will of the said John Brokett to be declared thereon. And, moreover, the aforesaid jurors say that, all and singular the persons abovesaid thus as is said above being seised of the manors aforesaid and the other premises with all and singular appurtenances to the uses aforesaid, the aforesaid John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, being sound of mind and of healthy remembrance, to wit, on the 5th day of September in the year of the Lord 1532, made and declared his testament and last will of and on the premises, in these following English words: [Will quoted in full as above], As more fully appears in the last will of the aforesaid John Brokett: by reason of which said last will of the said John Brokett, George Hyde and all the others aforesaid, enfeoffed and receivers of the manors aforesaid and the other premises with appurtenances are now seised of the manors aforesaid and the other premises with appurtenances in form aforesaid in their demesne as of fee to the uses and behoof specified and declared in the said last will of the aforesaid John Brokett esquire named in the writ aforesaid. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that the aforesaid manor of Almeshoo with appurtenances is held from Robert viscount Fytzwater and now earl of Sussex, but by what services the jurors aforesaid know not at all; and it is worth per annum in all its issues beyond reprises £20; and that the aforesaid manor of Thebrige with appurtenances is held of the abbot of St Albans as of his manor of Sandrygge by a rent of 40s per annum for all services; and that that manor with appurtenances is worth per annum in all its issues beyond reprises £4; and that the aforesaids manor of Herons with appurtenances is held of the abbot of Westminster as of his manor of Whethamsted by a rent of 39s per annum for all services; and is worth per annum in all its issues beyond reprises 5 marks; and that the aforesaid manor or tenement called Watershippez with appurtenances is held of John Heyworthe and Edmund Emary as of their manor of Symondyshyde, by what services the jurors aforesaid know not at all; and it is worth per annum in all its issues beyond reprises £6; and that the aforesaid manor of Symondyshyde with appurtenances is held of the bishop of Ely by the service of one half a knight’s fee; and that that manor with appurtenances is worth per annum in all its issues beyond reprises £10; and that the aforesaid messuage and certain premises in Willion and Wilmondley are held of the prior of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in England, but by what services the jurors aforesaid know not at all; and they are worth per annum in all their issues beyond reprises 5 marks. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that the aforesaid John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid held no other nor further manors, lands or tenements in the county aforesaid on the day that he died from the lord king, nor from anyone else, in demesne, use, reversion or in service, on the day that he died, in the county aforesaid; and that the said John Brokett died on the 6th day of September in the 24th year of the reign of the said lord Henry VIII [1532] now king; and that John Brokett kinsman and heir of the said John Brokett named in the writ aforesaid, to wit, son of John Brokett son and heir of the said John Brokett is his kinsman and next heir, and at the said time of the death of the aforesaid John Brokett esquire his grandfather, was of the age of 21 years and more. In witness of which both the escheator aforesaid and the jurors aforesaid have affixed their seals alternately to this inquisition, the day, year and place aforesaid &c.
In Yorkshire:
Inquisition indentate taken at Selby in the county aforesaid the 12th day of September in the 25th year of the reign of king Henry VIII [1533] Read more
by the grace of God king of England and France, Defender of the Faith and lord of Ireland, before Thomas Grene escheator of the said lord king in the county aforesaid, by virtue of his office, after the death of John Broket esquire deceased, by the oath &c. Who say upon their oath, that the same John Broket named in the inquisition aforesaid held no manors, lands or tenements from the lord king nor from anyone else in demesne nor in service in the county aforesaid on the day that he died, but the same jurors say upon their oath that the same John Broket esquire long before his death was sole seised in his demesne as of fee of a manor of his called Castell Carok [?] with its appurtenances in the county aforesaid, and of four messuages or tenements with their appurtenances in Fenton Byggyng [13 miles south of York] in the county aforesaid, and two messuages or tenements with their appurtenances in Wygyngton [4 miles north of York] in the county aforesaid: and he being so seised thereof, by his charter (shown to the jurors aforesaid at the taking of this inquisition in the evidences) the date of which is the 5th day of May in the 5th year of the reign of the lord now king Henry VIII [1513], by the name of John Broket late of Whetamsted in county Hertford esquire, gave, granted and by his charter confirmed to Ralph Ryder knight, John Gower knight, John Normanvile knight and Thomas Peryent, Nicholas Baryngton, Thomas Elys esquire, Thomas Ryder, Edward Gower and Edward Broket gentleman the manor aforesaid with its appurtenances and the other premises with their appurtenances, among other things, by the name of his manor of Castell Carok with appurtenances in Aberthford in county York, as well as all his other lands and tenements, meadows, feedings, pastures, woods, underwoods, commons, rents and services with their appurtenances in the townships of Aberthford, Colton, Fenton and Wygyngton, to the aforesaid Ralph Ryder, John Gower, John Normanvyle knight, Thomas Peryent, Nicholas Baryngton, Thomas Elis esquire, Thomas Ryder, Edward Gower and Edward Broket gentleman, their heirs and assigns for ever, from the chief lords of that fee by the services thence due and of right accustomed; and the aforesaid John Broket and his heirs shall warrant and for ever defend the manor aforesaid with its appurtenances and the other premises with their appurtenances to the aforesaid Ralph, John, John, Thomas, Nicholas, Thomas, Edward and Edward Broket, their heirs and assigns, against all people, by his charter, in that charter more fully appears. By reason of which the aforesaid Ralph Ryder, John Gower, John Normanvyle knight, Thomas Peryent, Nicholas Baryngton, Thomas Elis, Thomas Ryder, Edward Gower and Edward Broket straightway after the charter aforesaid in form aforesaid was made and seisin according to the tenor of the same charter was delivered were seised thereof of the manor aforesaid with its appurtenances and of the other premises with their appurtenances in their demesne as of fee to the use and behoof of the aforesaid John Broket, his heirs and assigns: and they being therein seised, afterwards the aforesaid Ralph Ryder knight, John Gower knight, John Normanvyle knight, Nicholas Baryngton, and Thomas Elis esquire died seised thereof in such estate; and the aforesaid Thomas Peryent, Thomas Ryder, Edward Gower and Edward Broket survived them and held the manor aforesaid and the other premises with their appurtenances and were thereof seised among other things to the use and behoof aforesaid. And the aforesaid John Broket named in the inquisition aforesaid, being sound of mind and of healthy remembrance, to wit, on the 5th day of September in the year of the Lord 1532 of and upon the premises among other things made and declared a testament and last will in these English words following: [Will quoted in full as above] As in the last will of the aforesaid John Broket more fully is contained; by reason of which said last will the aforesaid Thomas Peryent, Thomas Ryder, Edward Gower and Edward Broket are now seised of the manor aforesaid and the other premises with their appurtenances in form aforesaid in their demesne as of fee to the use and behoof specified and declared in the said last will of the aforesaid John Broket esquire named in the writ aforesaid. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that the aforesaid manor of Castell Carok with its appurtenances in Aberthford are held from the bishop of York, but by what services they know not at all; and it is worth per annum in all issues beyond reprises 40s; and that the aforesaid four messuages or tenements with appurtenances in Fenton and Byggyng are held from John Newbygenoso but by what services they know not at all; and they are worth per annum in all issues beyond reprises 20s; and that the aforesaid two messuages or tenements with appurtenances in Wigyngton are held of the treasurer of the church of Blessed Peter, York, but by what services they know not at all; and they are worth per annum in all issues beyond reprises 26s 8d. And, moreover, the jurors aforesaid say that the aforesaid John Broket named in the inquisition aforesaid held no other nor further manors, lands or tenements in the county aforesaid on the day that he died from the lord king, nor from anyone else in demesne, use, reversion or in service; and that the same John Broket died on the 6th day of September in the 24th year of the reign of the said lord king Henry VIII [1532]; and that John Broket is kinsman and heir of the said John Broket named in the inquisition aforesaid, to wit, son of John Broket son and heir of John Broket esquire deceased; and at the said time of death of the aforesaid John Broket esquire his grandfather he was 21 years and more of age. In (witness) of which &c.
Page Last Updated: May 31, 2023
